New Year's Eve at Home

Our New Years Eve was laid back. Except for sledding, we spent the day at home. We watched movies, played games, and ate our Figi's & hot cocoa. Brett had bought us all our own bottle of Sparkling Cider so we chugged those most of the day as well. Late in the evening, Liberty got invited to a party so she took off. It was weird to not have her around. They are growing up so fast- I should probably brace myself for them all doing that soon, right?

When it got dark, we let off a couple fireworks. Then Glory & I watched them do a ton of snappers outside in the freezing cold!!!

At midnight, we made noise, drank and kissed in the New Year!

We had been in the middle of a card game so we finished it up. Liberty got there in time to enjoy our company for a bit. Doesn't she look so excited to be home!!!? LOL

Then everyone got in on our annual Balloon Pop Extravaganza! They were tough and it took a lot of energy to pop them. Too funny!

Happy New Year! 

May 2016 be everything you want it to be!

New Years Eve Sledding

We have been stuck at home all week with sickness so we decided with our last couple days- we need to get out and make memories! So we took the family sledding for a bit. We went to a hill by St. Peters Hospital before it got dark. We had a good time!

Ham Jerky on Christmas Day

We are NOT early morning risers (well except for Justice who loves mornings!) But we told the kids they could come jump in our bed at 9. We took our annual Snuggle picture with our new Selfie Stick. Then knelt & held hands for our Morning Family Christmas Prayer. We love to start out our Christmas morning together and thanking God for His Son.

We don't put a lot of emphasis on Santa at our house but this year Glory was super excited for him and even left out a special treat for him & his reindeer. She told us- "If it gets eaten- then I know he's real!" LOL She was super excited to see some of it nibbled away. Everyone helped her be excited for it! 

One Santa Tradition we do have is- our girls & their American Dolls! Victoria & Glory mess up their dolls until they look messy and crazy! Then they leave them out for Santa to give them a Christmas Makeover. Santa (winkwink) does an amazing job fixing them all up and dressing them fancy! The girls love it! This year Santa made them into Elsa & Anna. So cute!

As a silly side note- Justice had a Gift Exchange at school. He was super excited because he got his person some fun things that she loves (favorite candy, color, theme). Unfortunately, Justice  was way bummed with what he received. It was kind of lame  & nothing he even said he liked. We felt bad cuz it turned out to be a little embarrassing for him in class as everyone opened their gifts of candy & treats while he got a snot blowing plastic elf. Bummer! But Brett tried to make the best of it for him during our Christmas break. He made it into Skittles the Elf and continuously hid it in places for Justice to find. ex. inside Justice's boots, under his pillow, in his spot at the bar with a big bag of Skittles- all with notes from "His Buddy Skittles the Elf". Justice still claims he "hates that thing!" But it did make it a pretty silly week. Introducing Justice's Buddy Skittles the Snot Blowing Elf: LOL

We opened stockings and presents. Everyone was very happy! Thanks to extended family that sent us things. You are all so very thoughtful! One of these years I'll get back into sending presents other than Christmas cards. (We used to make homemade gifts every year for everyone. We'd make like 40 gifts. It was insane! But I lost my present mojo somehow. Bummer! Oh well- Hope everyone had an amazing Christmas I know that we love you!)

 We made our Cinnamon Roll wreath for breakfast!

Then the rest of the day (and several days after) were lazy and full of Wii playing and enjoying our gifts! As well as taking care of a sick little girl with the flu & 2 other girls with pink eye! Thank heavens we had no where to go, right?. LOL

Oh yes- I almost forgot! Brett made this amazing Ham & twice-baked potato dinner. It was delicious! Then he just left it on low to let the ham get super tender and we could snack on it when we wanted. Unfortunately- it kind of turned into jerky. LOL So funny! Ham Jerky anyone??


One last gift that we enjoyed over our Christmas break was a ping pong set. It's supposed to connect to a table. Unfortuantely the 6 ft folding tables we have are too think on the side. So we pulled out a couple of card tables and stuck them together. But the ball wouldn't bounce. Bummer! So the kids turned on their thinking caps & used several pieces of leftover drywall from our basement project. It now works perfectly. They have played several games down there. Fun times!

Merry Christmas to everyone! 

XOXO 

Hope your Christmas was filled with love & joy!

Christmas Card 2015

As this season is upon us, we want to take the opportunity to share our love for the Savior with you! We know that He lives! May his Spirit fill your lives with his peace. XOXO from our family to yours! Merry CHRISTmas!

Christmas Eve Gift Givers

Christmas Eve at our house usually means a visit from some good-lookin' wisemen, some pjs and a few videos to remember the true meaning of Christmas. Fun traditions!

 We watched our usual Luke II video put on by the Church.

And checked out a new one about Joseph on the tablet. Fun to see my cute kids gathered around their dad watching a video about a special father.

We love the traditions, the lights, the presents, being together! But most of all- we love the Savior! Merry Christmas, Jesus!

Live Nativity 2015

For the 3rd year, we had the opportunity to participate in the Stake Live Nativity. We love this tradition!!! Tim Earl was our 3rd wise man. It was pretty cold out but they have a sweet setup with a heater behind Mary. The Stake Center is in a very festive,lighted neighborhood so we get tons of cars that drive by each Christmas Eve. So special to share this special moment with others!

Caldwell Christmas 2015

The Caldwell family invited us again for their annual Christmas Eve party. We love to visit and eat with everyone! Merry Christmas friends!

We took homemade Christmas Oreos. And the kids made our annual Christmas Eve 7-Layer Dip! Yum!

10 Years of Wisemen

As I was looking up Nativities over the Years, I started to wonder when we started our Wisemen Bearing Gifts Christmas Eve Tradition. Looking through my vast files of pictures, I discovered we have been doing it for 10 years! It's so fun to watch them grow up & see the different places we lived. Love it!

2005 (Home in West Fargo)

 2006 (Victoria's 1 st year):

 2007:

 2008 (Glory was a baby but it looks like we didn't catch her as a wiseman):

 2009 :

2010:

 2011:

 2012:

 2013: (Apartment in East Helena- everything was in storage so we made crowns)

 2014 (1st year in our Home in Montana City): 

 2015:

These pictures are worth their weight in GOLD!

Nativity Cookies

Grammy & Grandpa Randy sent us this fun Nativity Gingerbread Kit for Christmas. We put it together today. The kids helped me make the dough, cut out the cookies, bake them, make the frosting, decorate them and put it all together! It's so fancy!

Glory also helped us make Fancy Christmas Oreos for the Caldwell party! Look at us all Holly Homemaker!!

Nativities Over the Years

Along with the Nativities we have collected to decorate our home- we have also participated in quite a few Live Nativities. As I was looking for one particular year to make a project, I discovered tons of them. It's been fun to scan in some pictures and reminisce the memories. Here's some I found:

From Brett's Childhood: (Cheri, Shauna, Lori & Brett)

From Shay's Childhood: (Ryan, Lizsett, Emily Shay and Janae)

2001 1st year with Liberty She was Baby Jesus:

2002 (Liberty as an Angel):

2003 (Liberty was Mary & Justice was a sheep):

2004 (Liberty was an Angel & Justice was a Wisemen):

2006 Family (Took pics in our backyard. 

Dad- Shepherd, Mom- Wiseman, Liberty- Mary, Justice- Joseph, Victoria- Baby Jesus):

 2006 Kids:

2008 (At our West Fargo home. Dad- Narrator, Mom, Mary, 

Liberty- Angel, Justice- Wiseman, Victoria- Shepherd, Glory- Lamb)):

2012 (At the Stephens house in Fargo, ND. It was the Seamons, Stephens and Grays.

Liberty- wiseman, Justice- Joseph, Victoria- Mary & Glory- Angel): 

2013 (Our 1st Helena Stake Live Nativity. Micah Lay was our other wiseman. 

The kids loved the goats so they swapped halfway through):

2014 (Stake Live Nativity again. Kreston was our other wiseman): 

Also 2014 But I love that you can see the star!

2015 (Such a special tradition. Tim Earl was our other wiseman):